Jim
Berg was born in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to a family of medical doctors. Science and healing came
naturally to him. From a very young age, Jim has been interested in
exercise, massage, herbs, meditation, yoga, nutrition and medicine.
Although he appreciated modern medicine, Jim's main interest in healing was with
direct and natural manual approaches that help a person most profoundly.
When he was nineteen, Jim had a vision of how he could serve people deeper if he
understood the science of medicine and could practice with an unrestricted
license. He also realized that in order to really help medicine evolve, he
had to do this from the inside as a doctor. Jim had clear witness of the
shortcomings of modern medicine and sought to bring the art of healing to the
science of medicine.

After graduating from the
University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Jim did a three year residency,
and became board certified in family practice. He began his study of acupuncture
while in medical school, and his residency even paid for him and his teacher to
study together. Jim was awarded the "resident teacher" award by his
residency program. Jim moved his practice to Louisiana where he started a
school of healing called the Barefoot Doctors' Academy. Later he was
joined by his wife, Dee Anne with her school of midwifery. From day one,
Jim's practice has been devoted to natural and kind ways to help people heal.
He summarizes his philosophy:

"Nurturing and
strengthening is preferable to pills and potions; Pills and
potions are preferable to surgery; and surgery is preferable to death;
Caring is the most important."

Jim is the
director of the Barefoot Doctors’ Academy’s, School of Natural
Medicine, and had a private wholistic medical practice in southeastern,
Louisiana for twelve years. He has been a Clinical Assistant Professor at Tulane
University, School of Medicine,
and has been on the visiting faculty at the acupuncture school, The Academy
of Oriental Medicine at Austin. Dr. Berg is devoted to educating medical
students and other healthcare practitioners about his favorite healing arts:
medicine, herbalism, nutrition, acupuncture, bodywork, and the therapeutic
movements of tai chi, qigong and yoga. Jim is also a black belt in aikido and
practices many styles of martial arts. Dr. Berg enjoys public speaking on
natural medicine and wellness, and has manifested many educational programs
including the Barefoot Doctoring Apprenticeship Program, Herbal
Medicine Certification Program, Acupuncture for Medical Doctors, and
Chinese Medicine for Healthcare Practitioners.

Jim’s life is dedicated to serving humanity with the kindest and most effective
medicine feasible. He calls this service “Barefoot Doctoring”. He has been a
healer and medical facilitator at the annual Rainbow Gatherings for more than 21
consecutive summers. Barefoot Doctoring is the way of healing at the Rainbow
Gatherings, and Jim has learned this way well; to complement this way, he also
obtained medical certification in Wilderness Advanced Life Support. He
is as comfortable healing in the forests, mountains, beaches, and jungles, as he
is in his office.

Jim is
married to Dee Anne Domnick, a Licensed Midwife and a talented healer.
Dee Anne is the Director of the Barefoot Doctor
Academy’s,
School of Midwifery.
Between them, they have three children ages 23, 19 and 13. Jim and Dee
Anne have an organic farm in Hawi, HI where they are developing a garden
sanctuary and healing ecosystem. They are truly in love and blessed to
have found each other and to share their family.

Dr. Berg has relocated his medical practice and
the Barefoot Doctors’ Academy to the Big Island of Hawaii. He is
excited to serve this wonderful community with the aloha spirit of love,
kindness, skill and wisdom.